Screw holder and driver



(No Model.)

J. R. BALSLEY. SCREW HOLDER AND DRIVER.

No. 545,831. Pateqted Aug. 27, 1895.

' ably secured together, as by a screw-pin 9,

UNITED STATES PATENT SCREW HOLDE R AND DRIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 1? Application filed March 14., 1895.

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES R. BALSLEY, of Counel1sville, county of Fayette, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Screw Holders and Drivers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce improvements in that class of screwdrivers in which the blade of the tool is bifurcated and the screw is held by the expansion of the two ends thereof inserted into the screw-slot, whereby the holding power of the tool is increased and the tool is rendered more serviceable, especially in connection with large, heavy screws.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is aside elevation of my presentimprovedscrewdriver and holder. Fig'II is a similar view taken at rightangles thereto and showing the nibs of the tool closed. Fig. 111 is a highlymagnified view of the nibs expanded.

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates an ordinary handle, and ,2 and 3 the legs thereof, secured to the handle by suitable meansas, for example, a tang e-wit-h which, if preferred, both the legs may be made integral. The legs terminate in oppositelylocated preferably parallel sided nibs 5. Throughout the lower part of their lengths thes legs are preferably parallel, as indicated at 7 indicates a fulcrum, preferably consisting of a ledge on the interior of each leg, above which a narrow slit 8 extends between the legs. In practice this slit is made very narrow, but in the drawings the size of the slit, as well as of the fulcrum-ledges, is magnified in order to more clearly illustrate the gist of my invention. It is desirable to have the legs throughout their parts 6 parallel and the slit 8 which separates them as narrow as possible, in order that as the nibs 5 wear the tool may be resharpened to adapt it to perform its work without impairing the efficiency of the tool. The ends of the two legs are preferably movscrewing into one leg 3, for example, and entering an aperture 10 in the other leg, like a pin. The aperture 10 preferably fits loosely on the pin end of the screw 9, so as to admit atent No. 545,331, dated August 2'7, 1895.

Serial No. 541,783. (No model.)

I crum-points 7. Other means for holding the ends of the legs in accurate alignment may be employed, but the use of the screw-pin 9 is a simple and convenient method of accomplishing the desired result. The two legs are designed to work slightly upon the fulcrumledges 7 by the compression of each leg toward the axis of the slit 8. (See Fig. III.)

As a convenient and simple means for securing the compression of the legs above the fulcrum-points 7, I prefer to provide in each a sliding ring 12. The legs may be formed of spring metal, so that normally the nibs lie flat against each other, but by pressing the ring down upon the bows the legs are squeezed together from the fulcrum-points 7 and the nibs are caused to separate, as is clearly shown in Fig. III. The combined thickness of both nibs is approximately a little less than the slot of the screws of the sizes for which the tool is adapted, so that a very small separation of the nibs is sufiicient to engage and hold the screw in position upon them. The exterior flat surfaces of the nibs are prefer ably roughened to prevent them from slipping out of the screw-slot.

What I claim is- 1. In a screw holder and driver, the combinibs thereon, of a fulcrum above the nibs on which the legs move to expand the nibs as against the sides of a screw slot, and means for actuating the legs, substantially as set forth. 7

2. The combination with a pair of legs and screw holding nibs thereon, of a fulcrum above the nibs beyond which the legs are separated, the nibs being adapted to be separated by the movement of the legs toward each otherabove the fulcrum, and means for actuating thelegs toward each other, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a pair of legs and nibs, of a fulcrum above the nibs, a slit above the fulcrum, bows in the legs, and a sliding ring for compressing the bows, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JAMES R. BALSLEY. Witnesses:

E. DUNN,

of the free movement of the legs upon the ful- J. C. MUNSON.

leg a how 11 and above and around the bows nation with a pair of legs and screw holding V 

